The adoptive mom lets go of a lot, but she receives an abundance in return, too. Here are 10 reasons why adoption rocks.

1. You get to drink alcohol at the baby shower.
2. You can mentally blame "terrible twos," failed math tests, back talk, lack of coordination, bed wetting or exorbitant orthodontist bills on random, unknown relatives.
3. You can verbally shut down anyone that tries to call you "breeder."
4. You don't have to worry about postpartum depression.
5. You can still breastfeed if you want to (it's true, a woman does not have to be pregnant to lactate)! At the same time, it's perfectly acceptable not to breastfeed, too. (Biological mothers often report judgment from others and feelings of guilt when they choose not to breastfeed.)
6. If your child was born in a foreign country, your life is forever enriched by another culture and you, most likely, will get to travel to the child's birth country at some point.
7. You get to gently educate people about proper adoption terminology like "birth mom" instead of "real mom" when referring to the woman who carried and delivered your child.
8. You are amazed by strengths and talents in your child that aren't included in your gene pool.
9. You get to be a parent and still maintain a rockin' bod.
10. You learn, from the bottom of your heart, what the term "love makes a family" really, truly means.